Thirteen Filipino seafarers from the Antigua-flagged bulk carrier M/V Venturo arrived safely in the Philippines on Friday after being repatriated amid the continuing attacks on vessels in the Black Sea region.
The crew members arrived aboard Philippine Airlines Flight PR311 at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City. They were the second batch of repatriated Filipino crew members from the vessel, following the arrival of five seafarers on July 31.
Personnel from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) provided financial assistance and other forms of support to the returning seafarers. Representatives from their licensed manning agency, Michaelmar Phils., Inc., also welcomed them at the airport.
DMW National Capital Region Assistant Regional Director Maria Theresa Sanz assured the returning workers that government assistance programs would remain available while they recovered and prepared for future employment.
"Bukas ang DMW at ang Regional Offices para sa mga iba pang kailangan gayun din ang OWWA for their programs gaya ng upskilling and trainings habang kayo ay naririto sa bansa habang nag-aantay sa muling pagsampa o bago bumalik sa pagtratrabaho," Sanz said.
Meanwhile, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac confirmed that the number of Filipino seafarers killed in the recent attacks on vessels in the northern Black Sea had risen to three.
"Noong nakaraang linggo, dalawa ang deceased pero ang iuulat ko ngayon, may isang nadagdag na nasawi. So tatlo na po ang nasawi natin sa northern Black Sea attacks sa ships docked in Ukrainian ports," Cacdac said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City on August 1.
The DMW confirmed on Saturday that a third Filipino seafarer had died in the attacks. According to the agency, 15 Filipino seafarers were injured, one remains missing, and 217 have been accounted for and declared safe.
The agency also said that 236 Filipino seafarers aboard 17 vessels have been affected by the hostilities in the region.
In addition, the DMW reported that 89 Filipino seafarers, including nine injured crew members, have already been repatriated.
Cacdac did not disclose the identities of the fatalities or the exact location of the latest incident. However, he said he would travel to Romania on August 3 to visit the morgue where the remains of one of the Filipino seafarers are being kept.
The DMW chief also said he had personally met with the families of the deceased seafarers to extend the government's condolences and provide assistance.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as tensions persist in the region, while the DMW has reiterated its directive to licensed manning agencies and vessel operators to strictly enforce safety measures for ships carrying Filipino seafarers through the Black Sea.
